June 2009

06/30/2009

This is a quick card that I made for this weeks Colour Challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers. The colours are So Saffron, Night of Navy and Kraft. I am trying to do more and more colour challenges as it is a good way for me to step out of my comfort zone although I must admit this color combination is one that I really enjoy.

There is only minimal stamping on this card with the sentiment being the only actual stamp used. I purchased the Kind Thoughts stencil from our Definately Decorative line (this is the line of home decor products including our Decor Elements and wall stencils) a while back but had yet to open it. Another great thing about Stampin' Up! is that there is so much versatility-you would think this stencil was originally for wall use but I have also seen so many great projects including images steciled on fabric, wood furniture, lamp shades, scrapbook pages, cards the list goes on! And wait until you see the NEW Definately Decorative Catalogue these products will blow your mind! Only ONE MORE SLEEP until the new Idea Book and Catalogue is released!

Sorry, back to the card. As I mentioned this card was very quick and easy to put together. I took the stencil and off set it to the side of a 3 1/2 x 4 piece of Kraft card stock and used my sponge in a dabbing motion on the stecil with Night of Navy Classic ink. The sentiment was stamped on So Saffron card stock again using Night of Navy and punched out with the Designer Label punch. I attached to the Kraft piece with dimentionals and then used a piece from the Vanilla Hodgepode hardware to fit over it. The base of the card is 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 Night of Navy and the ribbon is So Saffron.

Okay, I know this is a paper crafting blog but I just have to share these pictures of my kids that were taken on Saturday. I can't wait until I get to see the rest. Apparently the photographer took over 200!

And yes, I know that the kids clothing have the NEW IN COLOURS in them! ( yes this was on purpose-just think of the scrapbook pages!!!!!!)

06/28/2009

Here is another progressive page that I had made to demonstrate how easily scrapbooking can be done in any size. I don't know about you but the biggest feed back that I hear from non scrappers is that they just don't know where to begin. What I personally love about Stamping Up! is that there are so many options to look at when you finally start scrapping. When I am doing a page I love to combine stamping with my scrapbooking. When making a progressive page you first start off with a 6x6,step it up to an 8 1/2x11 then a 12x12. These picture were taken of my oldest daughter back in December and now looking back on them it's amazing to see how much she has changed in the last 6 months. I think that is what I enjoy so much about scrapbooking, you have forever captured a moment in time with not just a picture but also through the paper, colours and journaling you have captured the emotions and feeling surrounding that moment.

For the 6x6 page I started off with a 6x6 square of Chocolate Chip cardstock and matted my photo on Rose Red. I randomly stamped the out line heart image in Chocolate Chip and stretched a piece of Rose Red Double Stitched Ribbon across the page, attached it with sticky strip and used a brad from the Silver Hodgepodge Hardware. The cute flowers are two from Felt Fusion and joined together with a silver brad. The sentiment which I also chose to use as my journaling was punched out which the Wide Oval. To take this layout to a 8 1/2x11, I placed my ribbon this time on an piece of Pink Piroette, used two brads attached the 6x6 page, added a small piece of Sweet Always Designer Series Paper and Pumpkin Pie cardstock with several punched out circles in varying sizes on it. This time I added the title "LOVE" cut out with a sizzix decorative strip. I then added two more photos. The last step was to take this to a 12x12. For that I used a 12x12 piece of Kraft cardstock stamping it with one of the solid hearts in Versamark ink to give a watermark effect. I changed up the positioning of my DSP and the Pumpkin Pie piece so they were a little more angled and decided to do my titling down the side of my page, this time using chipboard. Using the same ribbon I placed it vertically along my page, then made a bow and attached it to the strip of ribbon.

So for all of you non scrappers out there I hope you will try this, as there is nothing more satisfying than not only enjoying the work that you put into it, but also the response that you get when those loved one's see what you created just about them!

06/25/2009

Dawn McVey is an extremely talented stamper and designer, and I love visiting her blog for inspiration. Recently she started a weekly colour challenge and I finally found the nerve and time to enter it. I just got another order of stampining goodies the other day and was so excited to try out my new background stamp. I had been eyeing this one for a while and am so glad I finally decided to get it. Using background stamps is such a great way to step up a card with out using patterned paper or to give terture and depth to a card depending on the image. I just love all the different fonts and the script style of this Tres Chic one. For the challeng I chose to use the colours Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Melon Mambo and Very Vanilla. The background was stamped in Chocolate Chip on Very Vanilla cardstock and I sponged the edges with Close to Cocoa. Sponging is such a quick and easy technique that can really change the whole feel of a card. Instead of stamping a main image I decided to use two butterflies from the Beautiful Butterflies die for the big shot. I used two different Designer Series Papers for them; Bella Rose and A Walk in the Park, then used a Vanilla Jumbo Brad in the middle and popped them up with dimensionals on a Vanilla square that is matted with Melon. The sentiment was stamped then punched out with the Wide Oval and layered on a Cameo Coral tag, all were sponged again with Close to Cocoa. The ribbon is the very yummy Melon Mambo Poka Dot Ribbon, I know some of you out there think that this is such a bright colour and trust me I was one of them until I started playing with it-Love It! Chocolate Chip and Melon Mambo is quickly becoming one of my new favourite colour combos-but then again doesn't Chocolate go good with everything?! On that note there is some Purdy's Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream calling my name!

06/23/2009

One thing that I have learned since I started stamping and scrapbooking is that sometimes simple is best. I know that in life I sometimes have the problem of complicating things or making something into more than it needs to be (don't we all?!). So at times I like to step back and create a simple project. This 6x6 page and card shows the versatility of how you can create two totally different projects using the exact same supplies. This was a make and take project I demoed for a workshop, they could choose what version they wanted to make. I absolutely love how the colours Kraft and Riding Hood Red go together, definately a combination I will miss when the current In Colours retire in less than a week! So I wanted to showcase another project with some retiring items-remember to check the Last Chance list as it updates daily and some accessories are already sold out.

For both the scrap page and card I started with a 6x6 piece of Kraft cardstock, 2x6 piece of Candy Lane Designer series paper and scraps of Very Vanilla to stamp images on that would be cut out or punched out. The heart image was stamped in Riding Hood Red and then Close to Cocoa then cut out with paper snips, the red one is attached with dimesionals for a popped up effect. Seriously these scissors will cut even the tiniest of details. The words were also stamped twice;once in Close To Cocoa and punched out with the Large Oval and then again with Pink Piroette. This time just the heart was punched out with the 1/2" circle and attached with a dimensional. Really simple projects, but cute just the same.

My challenge to all of you is to try something simple, you maybe surprisingly pleased with what you create. Wishing everyone a wonderful day! I'm off to finish working on one of my USTAMP projects.

06/22/2009

Yes I said challenged, not inspired! The reason for the title of this post is even with the beautiful visual and the great colour combo of Kristina's inspiration for this week, I was stumped. After 4 attemps that landed in my recycling pile and had me up until 1:30am, it finally clicked this morning. Determined that I was not going to be defeated by a little bit of paper and some ink- who am I kidding it ended up being a lot of paper and ink, I gave it a try again and this is what I came up with.

This card is definately not what I had originally in mind when I sat down to create a card for this challenge, but after trying it with several different stamp sets I settled on Great Friend. I don't usually think of More Mustard and Really Rust when I think of butterflies, but I am rather surprised by how nice they turned out. The center butterfly is stamped once in Really Rust on the main Very Vanilla image panel and then again on a scrap piece which I heat embossed with Iridescent Ice. Because I didn't have a Craft Really Rust ink pad I just inked up the image in Versa Mark and then in Really Rust. I just love how this trick can work with any colour, of course the colour is not as rich as it would be with a Craft pad but it does the trick! Also this is a great way to be able to emboss the In Colours as they do not come in Craft. Once I was done embossing I just cut it out, curled the wings up a little bit and popped it on top of the butterfly with a dimensional and then added a cream half back pearl from the Pretties kit for an added touch. The rest of the card is pretty simple with tone on tone stamping on the Basis Gray base and some punched flowers with a few more pearls thrown in.

Hope you are enjoying your day and my new BLOG LOOK! I have to give a special THANK YOU to Michelle from Laycock Designs for my fun new look- in the words of my 9 year old "Mom it looks just like you!",and I guess it does if I was some paper and a few differnt colours LOL!

06/18/2009

For those of you that have more than one child, I'm sure you can relate as to why I love these pictures of my two youngest. I grew up as an only child so sibling rival is something I have a hard time understanding. My husband on the other hand just thinks we should buy them all boxing gloves and send them out in to the yard to "play"(he grew up with an older brother!) So when I see how much my kids truly do love each other, it warms my heart. If only for a minute until the next "he said/did, she said/did" episode! With my oldest we were very lucky that when her brother came along she instantly became a little mother hen and if anything "loved" him too much. With the youngest two it has and I'm sure always will be a battle of wills. So when I took these pictures of them playing and laughing together with no tears or yelling (boy can that little one scream!) I couldn't wait to scrap them.

And of course the colours in the photo go perfectly with the new in colours! For this page I used a piece of patterned paper from the Razzleberry Lemonade DSP tearing it to add more intrest to the page, and a sheet of Pumpkin Pie textured card stock as the base. I just love how the brightness of Melon Mambo contrasts with the orange. I think the poka dot in colour ribbon will be something I will be using a lot of this year. I also had a piece of cardstock left over from cutting circles for my last layout and thought it would make a great frame for my featured picture. The stamp set I used is a new Hostess only set that will be featured in the new catalogue. I just love the swirls in this set and think it's fun to mix stamping with scrapbooking. I stamped the bird image in pumpkin pie on Whisper White that was cut out with the Top Note die. I then printed the jounaling on vellum cardstock and also ran it through the Big Shot. I am really pleased with the way this turned out and just hope that one day when they are older they will look at this page and remember the fun that had together. (I'm sure they will have to get through the teenage years first ugh!)

06/15/2009

This is a 2 page lay out that I did last week while crafting with some really great and talented ladies. I used the Hoppy Memories Simply Scrappin' kit and the NEW Jumble Alphabet set. A super quick and simple lay out. My son Logan rarely ever sits still so it is even more rare to have this many pictures of him at one time. I took them about two weeks ago while he and his younger sister were playing in our yard .These are the only page that I have scrapped of just him in a long time. I find that I have way more pictures of just the girls.

So are you ready for a NEW Idea Book and Catalogue SNEAK PEEK?

TADA! Boy I just hate it when pictures don't do something justice, IMHO this looks so much better in real life. Oh well, but aren't the new in colours amazing? Although a few tears maybe shed by me when Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red and Pacific Point go, I sure am glad that there are some great replacements. The new IN COLOURS are:

I know some of you have already seen the NEW In Colours and other Sneak Peeks but because I am Canadian I just got my pre order on Friday. Picture this; me spending most of the day waiting patiently (or not) for that dreamy vision to appear in his awesome brown truck and even better brown shorts- yes that's right I dream about Mr. Brown (aka the UPS man) and there are thousands out there just like me! So when I heard the truck drive up my street I already had my shoes on-poor man he probably will be asking for a different Route after seeing me on Friday LOL. I actually jumped up into the opening of the truck with arms held out waiting for my new goodies. Apparently I wasn't the only mad stamper because he laughed and said "Boy there have been alot of you super excited to see me!" I'm sure that must have made his day, poor man probably doesn't get that much attention at home (I know y husband doesn't) as he does when it's NEW Catalogue season!!!! You see this time we got a single copy of the NEW Cattie in our pre order box (see, I told you there are lots of great benefits to becoming a demo). So yes, I do have a coveted copy of the new book and it is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! Even the finish of the pages are different, softer if that makes sense. And there are lots of great sections with product groupings and project ideas. I am IN LOVE! Okay now that all that is off my chest back to the scrapbook page.

I also took these pictures the same time as the ones on the other scrapbook page. My 2 year old daughter learned how to draw circles about 4 months ago and will draw them any where and every where she can. (Walls and chairs included NOT LOL!!!) So I thought this picture was the perfect opportunity to use my Circle Scissors Plus cutter and the soon to be released CIRCLE CIRCUS stamp set. In the picture Logan and Isabelle are drawing circles with different coloured chalk and I know it is hard to tell from the picture but the one they are working on is very close to the new colour Bermuda Bay. And check out the poka dot ribbon-YUMMY! It comes in all 6 new in colours and yes I did order all of them. Only two more weeks until the new Catalogue is here and then you too can be as giddy as I am right now- or NOT!

06/14/2009

For any of you that know me or may follow my blog you will notice my Big Shot is used a lot in my projects. It's just such a versatile tool and makes anything from cards to embelishments in a matter of minutes-sometimes seconds! This is a purse that I had made for a 3D swap and also worked for a demo challenge over on Splitcoast Stampers. This cute little purse is based on the one seen HERE by the very talented Becky Roberts. I just heart the the top Note Die, it can be used for everything from simple card fronts to journaling boxes and of course really cool 3D projects. And it is one of the dies that is included in the BIG SHOT STARTER KIT available from Stampin Up!

The new Catalogue starts on July 1st and this exclusive deal will no longer be available. So if you haven't gotten your Big Shot yet now is the time because starting July 1st to purchase everything listed above will cost you over $277! Click on my Order on Line button or contact me for more details (Canadians Orders Only).

For my version of the Top Note Purse I used two So Saffron Top notes and wheeled the Friendly Words wheel in Chocolate Chip ink and sponged the edges as well. The large scallop die for the Big Shot was used for the top of the purse and was dry embossed again using the Big Shot with a Stampin Up! exclusive Texture Plate. The Beautiful Butterflies die (another SU! exclusive) was cut of twice, once in Cameo Coral and again in Vellum Cardstock that was also run through with the Texture Plate. The little butterflies that are stamped on the sentiment circle are from the Branch Out set. I think that this would be a cute idea for a thank you gift. You could fill it with a treat or several note cards.

06/12/2009

Today was the teacher appreciation lunch at my chidren's school. Some of the parents "made"(I volunteered the veggie plate-thank you Save-on- Foods LOL) different dishes for the the staff to enjoy. So I thought they also deserved a card to let them know how much we as parents appreciate all they do through out the school year.

I just received my Define Your Life set that I earned for FREE (another perk of being a demo!) and had to put it to use right a way. I really felt the Inspire definition fit the occasion as I know how certain teacher have really influenced my kids.This card came together suprisingly quick and I am actually very pleased with the way it turned out. For the base I used 4 1/4 x 11 Chocolate Chip cardstock folded in half and pulled out the retired Summer Pinic DSP. I then layered on a 3 x 4 1/4 of the patterned paper along with Old Olive grosgrain rbbon. The sentiment was stamped on Whiper White in Choc. Chip ink and then the edges were sponged with Creamy Caramel. I just love the little mini library clips and this Old Olive one helps to tie everything together. I also stamped the apple from Tart and Tangy that was coloured in with markers and punched out. For the inside I used a stamp from the set Full of Life and coloured the words also with markers. Would love to hear what you think!

Just a reminder the June 15th is the last day for the early bird registration price of $ 20! Check what UStamp is all about by clicking on the word UStamp at the top of this page along my navigational bar. This is an event that you don't want to miss!